18 U.S.C. § 443 War Contracts

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: 2023 Edition
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-19 (published on www.congress.gov on 10/06/2023)

Whoever willfully secretes, mutilates, obliterates, or destroys-

(a) any records of a war contractor relating to the negotiation, award, performance, payment, interim financing, cancellation or other termination, or settlement of a war contract of $25,000 or more; or

(b) any records of a war contractor or purchaser relating to any disposition of termination inventory in which the consideration received by any war contractor or any government agency is $5,000 or more,

before the lapse of (1) five years after such disposition of termination inventory by such war contractor or government agency, or (2) five years after the final settlement of such war contract, whichever applicable period is longer, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

The Administrator of General Services, by regulation, may authorize the destruction of such records upon such terms and conditions as he deems appropriate, including the requirement for the making and retaining of photographs or microphotographs, which shall have the same force and effect as the originals thereof.

The definitions of terms in section 103 ¹ of Title 41 shall apply to similar terms used in this section.

¹ See References in Text note below.

Cite as 18 U.S.C. § 443

Source: June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 704; Oct. 31, 1951, ch. 655, §20(a), 65 Stat. 717; Pub. L. 103-322, title XXXIII, §§330004(17), Sept. 13, 1994, 330016, Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2142, 2148.

Notes from the Office of Law Revision Counsel

current through 5/22/2023

HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES

Based on section 119, first and second paragraphs, of title 41 U.S.C., 1940 ed., Public Contracts (July 1, 1944, ch. 358, §19(a), 58 Stat. 667).